Tobacco curing stick mounting means



1953 L. E. v. STICKLER 2,662,718

TOBACCO CURING STICK MOUNTING MEANS Filed Feb. 2'7, 1950 m Fig.

L ucian E. M Stick/er IN VEN TOR.

BY mm Patented Dec. 15, 1953 TOBACCO CURING STICK MOUNTING MEANS LucianE. V. Stiokler, Miami, Fla.

Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,510

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for supporting tobacco curing sticks,and has for its primary object to retain a curing stick in a, lockedposi-- tion so that the impaled stalks of tobacco can be easily strippedtherefrom.

Another important object of this invention is to support a curing stickin a rigid position against the weight of the impaled stalks of tobacco,so that the tobacco can be properly held by the stick while curing.

Another object of this invention is to obviate injury to the stalks oftobacco and to an operator stripping the tobacco from the curing stick,during the stripping operation.

These and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, thepreferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following descriptionand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a mounting device for the tobaccocuring stick, as constructed in accordance with the principles of thisinvention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof; and

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the device in use.

In curing tobacco, the method most commonly employed is to impale anumber of green stalks of tobacco on a stick, referred to as a curingstick. The stick is forced through the green stalk and the stalk isevenly spaced thereon and suspended therefrom. The stick is then securedin a horizontal position to a vertical support and the stalk is curedafter a period of time.

After curing, it requires considerable effort to remove tobacco stalkfrom the stick. It is usually accomplished by having one operator holdthe stick, while another operator pulls the stalks therefrom. However,during the stripping operation, the leaves are frequently damaged, sincethere is a tugging force on each end of the stick and the hands of thestrippers are frequently cut and splintered.

Therefore, it is the primary aim of the instant invention to provide adevice for supporting a curing stick during the curing operations, andfor retaining the same in a secured or locked position, so that only oneperson may be employed in strippingthe stalks from the stick.

As seen i the accompanying drawings, the mounting device it for a curingstick includes a box I2. The box is formed with a, pair of parallelopposing side walls I4 and a front wall It, having its upper end bentrearwardly and laterally edge of a movable jaw or looking plate 26 isin-.

serted therethrough. The upper end of the plate 26 is slotted to form aplurality of'tongues 28, the tongues being offset from the plate andbent angularly with respect thereto to pivotally journal the plate inthe top wall. Of course any other means may be utilized for hinging orpivoting the upper end of the plate to the top wall, so that the plateis swingably mounted in the box.

An elongated opening or slot 30 is formed vertically in the front wall,adjacent to the bottom wall 20, and the lower portion of the openinglies in the same horizontal plane at the upper edge of the flange 22.One end 32 of a conventional curing stick 34 may thus be passed throughthe opening 30 in the front wall and through the back wall to rest onthe flange 22. As the stick moves through the box, it can be seen thatthe lower edge 36 of the plate 26 will contact the upper portion of thestick. Thus, it can be seen that the stick will be held againstwithdrawal through the opening 30 in a rectilinear path, since the loweredge 36 of the plate 26 will grip against the stick. Thus, the lower endor edge of the stick is preferably concave so as to grip the entireupper surface of the stick.

Means is provided for releasing the locking contact of the plate 26 andincludes a releasing plate 38, which extends diagonally through atransverse slot 40 in the front wall, the slot being formed above theopening 39. A slot 42 is formed transversely in the plate 25 and theupper end of the plate 38 is inserted therethrough, the upper end beingformed with a plurality of angular tongues 44 to hingedly mount theplate 38 in the plate 26. .As seen in Figure 2, an upward swingingmovement or tilting movement of the stick relative to the releasingplate 38 Will swing the same to the dotted lin position and effect anupward swinging movement of the plate 26 relative to the dotted lineposition, thereupon the stick can be easily withdrawn from the box.

In use, the box would be secured on a vertical support, such as a post46, as illustrated in Fig ure 3. Any conventional means may be providedfor attaching the box to the post or similar support. The stalks 43 oftobacco are impaled on the curing stick 34 by forcing the stick2,ee2,71a

3 therethrough and the ends 32 of the stick then pass through theopening 39 in the box, as seen in Figures 2 and 3.

The stick will then be locked in the box and, during the strippingoperation the stalks can be stripped from the horizontally mounted stickwhich is held securely in the box. A tilting movement of the stick,after removal of the stock, upwardly relative to the release plate ormember 38 will move the plate upwardly in the box to swing the plate ormovable jaw 26 rearwardly and bring the lower end 36 thereof out ofengagement with the stick. The. stick can then be pulled out of the box.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A tobacco stick holder comprising arbox having an opening for thereception of the stick, a jaw pivotally mounted for swinging movement insaid box and cooperable therewith for frictionally anchoring the sticktherein, and means on the jaw engageable and operable by the stick fordisengaging said jaw from said stick for re.- leasing same forwithdrawal from the box.

2. A tobacco stick holder comprising a box having an opening for thereception of an end portion of the stick, a stationary jaw in the boxengageable with the stick, a swinging jaw pivotally suspended in the boxand engageable by gravity with the stick for frictionally anchoring samein the housing in cooperation with the stationary jaw, and means on theswinging jaw engageable and operable by the stick for disengaging saidswinging jaw from said stick for releasing said stick for withdrawalfrom the box.

3. A tobacco stick holder comprising a box for the reception of an endportion of the stick, a stationary jaw in the box engageable with thestick, a swinging jaw pivotally suspended in the box and engageable bygravity with the stick for frictionally anchoring same in the housing incooperation with the stationary jaw, and means engageableand operable bythe stick for disengaging the swinging jaw for releasing said stick,said box including a wall having an opening therein, said'meanscomprising a member pivotally mounted on the swinging jaw and extendingthrough the opening for engagement and actuation by the stick.

LUCIAN E. V. STICKLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 586,238. King July 13, 1897 1,194,310. Moe Aug. 8, 19161,540,803 Powers June 9, 1925 1,815,006 Horsting et a1. July 14, 1931

